Yahtzee!

Is there room in this town for two event planning/invitation web service (this town being you know, the whole world)? Evite owners Ticketmaster seem to think there's not.

Whoa!  Hold it right there.  I knew there was a reason I hated Evite so much.  They're owned by Ticketmaster?  I swear, I have a sixth sense for douche-bag parent companies.

• Evite threatens to sue Socializr - Download Squad

I Can't Park In The Lobby?

Was this the plan? "I'm upset that my phone doesn't work so I drive my car into your building"? A man in South Korea drove a Mercedes with "Delinquent SK" written on it through the front door. (Well, as far through a revolving door as a car will fit.) Somehow I don't think this resolved his troubles, even though it was a very effective attention getting device.

• Engadget: Man returns phone to carrier... without leaving car

How Much Do I Pay For Ads?

I've got internet on my phone. Its that kind that you connect up and use your minutes for god-awful-slow data transfer on a tiny and crippled browser. It sucks, but I can check my gmail, find a movie time, or if I'm crafty directions to somewhere. The start page is Verizon's half page add and news I don't care about page that I have to wait for before I can type in a url and get the hell out of there. That's my experience with mobile adds, so you can understand why I'm not pumped up about Yahoo! coming up with mobile ads. I don't have enough screen space and bandwidth to support that crap. Oh and you're not supplementing my connection charge (granted I'd probably be using their service, but google doesn't have adds so I'll just stick with them) so you can get lost. Again.

DownloadSquad: Yahoo! mobile phone ads coming soon

The NFL Is Full Of It.

You know what I'm talking about. Those warnings at the beginning of football games that say "you can't use this telecast, or any representation of the events that are about to transpire without the commissioner of football personally coming to your house and patting your butt. Oh and the NFL now owns your dog too." Seems unreasonable doesn't it? Well it is, and a law professor was using it as an example of copyright holders exaggerating their rights. She used a short snippet (just the copyright warning) for educational purposes, which you might think would fall under fair use. But the NFL disagrees and sent her a DMCA takedown notice. Ah yes, the DMCA (that wonderfully thought out and well justified corporate fire blanket) strikes again. This but this time the irony of a false DMCA claim to shut someone up for pointing out false copyright claims is just too much. What kind of abuses are going to make our law makers take another look at this misguided and easily exploited law?

• TechDirt: DMCA Takedown for professor showing how copyright owners exaggerate their rights
• Wikipedia: DMCA
  
• Google Search: "DMCA abuse" (547 results)

What? This ISN'T My Car?

Ah the old switcheroo turned accidental car thief.  Its a story as old as the '85 Camry.  A mother went to pick up her daughter's car from school and used the key to open, start and drive home in the wrong grey Camry.  The victim doesn't blame the mother but said " Her key fit not only my lock, but my ignition as well - so high-five for Toyota, I guess."  A spokesman from Toyota said this was due to the key technology of two decades ago.  Hmm... yeah 4,000 years of using locks, but in the last 20 we finally figured out how to make different keys.  Sounds like you guys were just lazy.

• BostonHerald.com: Case closed in accidental car theft

But We Already Have a Logo.

Poor Google, those Europeans just don't understand that its best for us all to just shut-up and do what Google says.  First all those news websites suing for infringing content cause Google News linked to their articles.  And now they've lost the broad European trademark for GMail to a letter delivery service in Germany.  Like actual letters, not e-letters or anything.  They tried to buy the name off Daniel Giersch for 250,000 but it was no deal.  GMail is apparently too well established in Germany for him to give it up.  Google also lost out in the UK where GMail is an analytical software package.

I think they should take the high road and name their service "GermanyMail".  Or if that's already taken, how about "GierschMail"?

• The Register: Google Loses European GMail Trademark battle

We Don't Need Roads.

Next up, there's DMC. Yeah you only know about them causa 'Back to the Future' and its a passing fancy at that. Well there's a new DMC these days and they cater to providing parts and service to original DMC customers. Well, their web site lists a flux capacitor for 6 grand, mostly as a head nod, and and a hover conversion for 12 grand. It was all good and fun till someone actually ordered the items. Now they've taken the parts off their site and no one loves anything anymore. Hope you're happy.

• Autoblog: Great Scott

Internet Magic.

I don't usually get songs stuck in my head that I know nothing about.  For instance:  you know that Safeway commercial with the cut-out people that should be way more annoying than it actually is?  Maybe you're annoyed with it but I've only seen it three times and one of those was on purpose.  Well I know virtually nothing about that song, but I can still find out that its the Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger because I know it came from a commercial, I remembered that it was on during 30 Rock last week, and the third time I saw it I noticed it was an add for Safeway.

Well this is for those of you being driven crazy by a tune that you know nothing about except that its in your head and you can't get it out.  Before you take a drill to your temple, check out Midomi.  Its a site that claims to be able to identify the wretched impression you come up with whether it be whistling, humming or some other machination.  I'm not sure how accurate your pitches have to be or how long of a clip you'll need to produce, but its probably worth trying out.  If only so you know that no one should be able to identify what you thing you're humming.

• Download Squad: You Know The One That Goes...

I Just Saw This Movie.

We had big plans for Saturday. We decided to watch Mission Impossible. And Mission Impossible 2. Then I bought Mission Impossible 3 and we watched it. Then we watched Anchorman. And then Aurthur. It was a rough day.

Anyway, that whole preface was just to credential myself when I give you a summary of MI:2 because you probably remember very little of the plot. Tom Cruise almost dies while free climbing in Arizona (damn.) and then crashes a Carrera in South America. They use the girl for bait to figure out what they're trying to do. Turns out that there is a super cure drug called Balerafont but the scientists created a super virus, Chimera, when they spliced some viruses together. The bad guys want to infect everyone and then sell the cure. A bunch of things blow up. You get pissed off when it turns out that everyone was wearing a mask and they destroy the virus in the end.

So now switch to the real world. Two Biotech companies are working on super vaccines that will combat any type of flu. They'll be ready for testing in 2007 (wait, that's this year) and can readily stockpile massive amounts. Anyone else feel like we're being set up?

• One vaccine for every strain of flu, including bird flu | Great News Network

I Don't Have Any Kids To Think About.

Uh-oh FCC looks like you're on shaky ground. Ever since that boobslip a while ago (still can't believe I missed that) the FCC has been imposing mystery fines on networks with taboo content. But rather than tell the offenders what is allowed and what is not there are a set of vague 'guidelines'. The effect is that once in a while a network will get a bill in the mail that says "you shouldn't have done that."

Well 3 judges yesterday questioned that practice as well as the root issue of "won't somebody please think of the children?" The FCC is often coerced into regulating content by "Family" groups who loathe inappropriate material and wish the government would shelter their kids. The court noted that the FCC (very rightly) has no jurisdiction over cable broadcasts where kids are much more likely to see the good stuff. The FCC and the government can't protect your shorties from dirty jokes, and if the best way you can think to monitor their activities is to have the government do it, you need to do some thinkin'.

Unless of course the kids are just an excuse and the real reason you're complaining to some magical authority is that you don't think anyone should be watching this stuff. Well too damn bad. This country affords certain freedoms. Movement, assembly, flag burnin and raunchy TV. Hell, its the reason why you're allowed to think that we should all be sheltered like your 5-year-old. But I disagree, so shut the fuck up.

• Techdirt: Court Not Buying FCC's Claims Over Indecency Fines

I'll Have Your Network With His Phone And Their Services.

I saw a commercial yesterday - I dunno why I saw a commercial, I must have been spacing on the fast forward button - for a cell phone or something. It was called Helio and was almost in the style of those Old Navy commercials that make me vomit. Not so much in the dancing around to hip music trying to be a GAP ad, but in the cool young people having fun with whatever the product is. I know that sounds vague, but I'm fine with it. Anyway, the one guy finds the other guy using the phone's GPS or something (kinda cool) and the other guy says something about Google Maps on his phone. Alright, I'm listening.

Well, I wanted to find out more about this product, but I couldn't remember the name of the company (advertising is very effective on me) until I read an article about how bad Cingular sucks and someone asked what the deal with Helio was in the comments. (no one answered him) Ah! It was called Helio. Wiki to the rescue-

Helio is a MVNO joint venture between SK Telecom and Earthlink. MVNO means that they don't own any licensed spectrum but rent service from other providers. Look at the coverage map of my area. No whitespace. They've got a ton of 3G coverage that they lease from Sprint and they lease voice only access from Verizon for all the other areas. What? They only reason I'm on Verizon is because they have the most pervasive coverage in my area. They don't have the best service they have the most ubituitous service. And now they don't have that because I can go through someone else to get a hybrid service. So right out of the blocks that's sounding sweet. But there's more:

The premise of this new company would be to bring advanced mobile devices in service from SK Telecom's home market of Korea to the US wireless market, where such advanced devices had been noted, by many, to be lacking. Helio, as it was to be called, would market itself to the younger demographic, promoting itself using the latest in cutting-edge handset technology. They plan to avoid taking on the major US wireless carriers directly, and instead they intend to carve out a niche for themselves with technology-savvy consumers.

Yeah? Bringing some of that rocking handset technology over here from Korea? Awesome. And marketing themselves to a savvy consumer base sounds like they won't want to piss people off by crippling their phones.

Want some more? Ok, they realize they're selling convergence items. So after you switch over for one of their devices you can send in your old tech for cash rewards. Like the phone in my pocket is worth a $46.75 trade-in. And I'm pretty sure I've got a couple more in my glove box. But its not just phones. They want iPods, PSPs, cameras, PDAs whatever your new convergence device is replacing. I mean, sure maybe you could get more for it on eBay if you're willing to put a bit more effort into it. But I find it very refreshing for a company to embrace convergence and enable its customers' transition.

That and the options look so freaking simple. Pick a phone, pick how many minutes you want and pick a data option. 65 or 40 bucks a month. I obviously need to look around a little more but this sounds like the kind of company I'm angling for.

• Helio | Drift, Hero, & Kickflip cell phones, MySpace Mobile, buddy beacon, mobile games, & more

Energy Stability With Battery Packs.

Whoa, this is an interesting concept. People are down on some kinds of alternative energy because they can be inconsistent and are not on-demand sources. If you have a cloudy day you'll generate less solar power. Or if there's no wind, you'll get less wind power. And the flip side is that you may end up generating more power than you need, but don't have any way to store it.

This article on plug-in hybrids pitches solutions all over the place. If plug-in hybrids were mainstream enough in the US, electric companies could benefit from stability and use a wider variety of sources. First, the electric providers should be pushing for plug-in hybrids because they will sell more electricity, which means more profit. (out of the oil companies pockets) They've over built production facilities to deal with usage spikes, so most of the time these factories are wasting overhead. By incentivising off-peak charging they could make full use of the capital expenditure they've made.

With higher profits, they could justify cleaner electricity improvements like coal plant upgrades or even starting alternative energy production. The plug-ins will help them again there. They can act as an energy buffer, using surplus energy at low demand hours and even offering it back to the grid when demand spikes or if an alternative source has a sub-par day. Think about it, millions of high quality storage batteries keeping our energy supply and consumption in collusion.

Some of the proposals integrate a "car IP" so that when you plug into the grid your account is credited or debited no matter where you are. So wherever your car is parked it is contributing to the communal power supply. If there is a natural disaster or emergency that cut power to regions, the cars could be used to keep essential systems running. And even if you sold all your electricity back to the community, you could still drive when you came back to your car using the gasoline supplement.

This may seem like quite the ambitious endeavor but its the best argument for a hybrid I've ever heard.

• Technology Review: How Plug-In Hybrids Will Save the Grid

Proper Representation.

Someday the world will tremble beneath the might of the DPI logo. Lifehacker has a link to an interesting article about designing logos incorporating letters. Its a pdf link but not a problem with your foxit pdf reader, right? Anyway I wish I was good at logo design so I liked reading it and appreciate the various tips it gave. I think mostly the best designs just come through messing around with what you've got. And refining and messing. Oh, and having some artistic talent may help too, I'm not sure. I sure wish I could make a smooth curve, as is evident in this little mock up of what I'm working on for a Daily Placebo Industries logo. (go get that Dauphin font so you know what d, p and i look like). I can't wait till its polished enough to be emblazoned on my private jets, satellites and volcano strongholds. Oh and maybe on a blazer with fine hand ticking.

• How to design a logo of letters - Lifehacker

P.S. Anyone know how I can make a bad-ass torch effect to dot the "i" with?

Don't Restrict Me.

Good for you Emusic. They've sold 100,000,000 DRM free songs online. I'd call that sticking it to all those music executives that say you can't make money without DRM. Emusic is now the second most popular online music source behind the iTunes music store, and they've done it with independent labels. That's right, they're selling less "popular" music and doing it better because their users don't feel shackled and criminalized. I know because I'm one of them. Hell, I feel like upgrading my account just to stick it to the music industry a little more.

• Techdirt: DRM-Free Music Sells, Major Labels Keep Pretending The Jury Is Still Out

Free Straps!

So after a bunch of porkers couldn't keep their grip on a wiimote and smashed their window or TV, Nintendo is offering a recall of the tethers. Maybe it the straps were to wimpy after all. Or maybe Nintendo doesn't think everyone will care enough to take advantage. At least now they'll have an adequate defense when someone claims they owe TV reparations. You should filled out a strap replacement form buddy, sorry.

• Wiimote straps recalled: yeah, all of them! - Engadget

If You Can't Trust Bloggers...

I remember back in the day when people used to write for the fun of it, before all this payola crap tainted opinion pieces from the common man. Now people have to wonder if you're being paid to say nice things about a company or product. PayPerPost is the end of trustworthy anonymous sources of advice and opinion on the Internet. I'm a big fan of transparency so the policy of optional disclosure, or the dilution of disclosure pisses me off a bit.

The policy on PayPerPost is that bloggers need not disclose that they are being paid to express a specific opinion about a product. Also, in an astroturf-like move, PayPerPost has launched DisclosurePolicy.org which helps people develop disclosures for their sites (and pays them to display it). The trouble is that they want people who have nothing to disclose to also display one.

This blog does not accept any form of advertising, sponsorship, or paid insertions. We write for our own purposes. However, we may be influenced by our background, occupation, religion, political affiliation or experience.

I'm not going to say that, because I'm writing my opinion, and of course my opinion is going to be influenced by who I am, that's why its mine. They're trying to desensitize readers to advisories like this, conveying that everyone has an agenda, and it shouldn't matter what motivates them. So as soon as the kickbacks start rolling in, I'm going to have a disclosure posted on every article.

But rest assured, I'm not going to stoop to this. Granted there's no reason to believe me; but if I recommend a product, its because I really like and endorse it. Not because I'm being paid to suck up. Unless you see me on a Subway commercial talking about how I lost 400 pounds eating chicken subs, then it will be for the money.

• Techcrunch » Blog Archive » PayPerPost Is Now Officially Absurd

Shhh... Its A Secret.

So while we're talking about people selling out and Google taking everything over, look at this. Neven Vision was a company that, I'm assuming, did something cool. Although now I have no idea what that may have been. As you can see if you visit their site, they've been snapped shut like most of Google's acquisitions. Writely stopped accepting registration, but at least they still told you what the company used to do. (Incidently you can get into Writely if you're already in, or know someone, like most of Google's pre-beta make-you-feel-special exclusiveness. See also blogger beta.) Anyway Neven directs you to the Google Blog which makes some semi-vague connotations that they're an image recognition system. Which may be a way to tag your photos with anything from objects (bikes, trucks, buildings) to people (dad, mike, strange Hawaiian guy). Although I'm naturally wary of any claims of artificial intelligence recognition, voice or otherwise. It'd be nice if it worked, but really, I don't think its there yet. So I spose we'll see if Picasa gets facial recognition as the next upgrade, which would make searching for that certain picture a lot easier. I just know I'm not going to go through and tag all those photos by hand.

• Official Google Blog: A better way to organize photos?

Update
Here's a nice speculative about the additives Neven may provide to Google in the future. I have to admit, being able to Google someone whose name I can't remember in the morning does sound cool. But take that a step further and we're solidly in creepy territory.

For example, I take a photo of a cute girl, or group of people at a bar. And what does Google now know about these people?

* Which bars or restaurants they frequent?
* Where is the location of that bar?
* Whether they prefer beer, wine or liquor.
* What kind of clothing they purchase & wear?
* Whether or not they smoke.
* Do they wear eye glasses or not?
* Who are they connected to in the real world and what is that connection?

Databases of connections, recognizing who is in pictures together, where the are, and what they're doing. Now that's the kind of surveillance I haven't been scared of since carnivore. Which, incidentally, now seems like kid stuff.

• Search Engine Journal » Google, Neven Vision & Image Recognition

Corporate Humor.

Everyone's selling out. And really, is that such a bad thing? Sure maybe if you used whatever got sold and now its just a corporate ad shill that's of no use to anyone, you might be a little pissed. But just think of the millions and millions of dollars. I'm serious. More power to you guys if you've created something that is perceived as so worthwhile. Of course I'm talking about Collegehumor being bought by InterActiveCorp for over $20 mil. When asked if he'd ever thought of changing his name, president of IAC programming Michael Jackson responded "No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks."

I like to think the article's comment: "Never underestimate the financial viability of photographing pyramids constructed from beer cans." is about me. But that was back in the day. Honestly, that site is so sophomoric to me now that its not even worth a glance. And just imagine if you were they guys running it. That noise has got to get old. Cash out while you can boys.

• Barry Diller Officially Penetrates Boys of CollegeHumor - Gawker